Hat-curling machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. TWEEDY.

HAT GURLING MACHINE.

No. 283,726. Patented Aug. 21, 1883.

figure 1.

JC.' f

N. FEI'ERS. Pholo-Lilhognphcr. Washington. D.C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDMUND 'rwnnDY, on DANBURY, oonnnoriour HAT CURLlNG MACHINE.

STECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,726, dated August 21, 1883.

Application filed llfay as, 1883. (No model.)

lar internal securing device,whieh is intended to hold and support it against the resistance aiforded by the curling mechanism in operation, the said expansible brow-block being in some machines of this class rotated so as to present the rim of the hat to curling mechanism occupying prescribed positions with relation thereto, while in other machines the hat is held stationary and the curling mechanism traverses around it while curling its brim, the operation and the effect upon the hat, when considered with relation to the 01)- ject of the present invention, being substantially the same in either case. Formerly it was designed to hold and sustain the hatbody in position upon the curling table or plate by passing it over a non-expansible brow-block and confining it thereon by means of a corresp ondingly-shaped encircling-band, which was slipped over the exterior of the hat; but owing to the constant tendency of the curling mechanism, when operating upon the hat-brim, to turn or twist the hat bodily upon the browblock, this method was found unreliable. \Vith the object of counteracting this tendency of the curling mechanism to derange the hat body upon the brow-block, various forms of expansible browblocks have been designed, arranged in such manner that they may be contracted in order to allow the hat-body to be passed over them, and then expanded to press against the inner side crown of the hat, the design being invariably to support the latter against the retarding or twisting action of the curling mechanisnr by increasing the re sistance opposed to the said curling mechanism; buteven these later devices are not absolutely reliable, owing to the comparatively great degree of friction and lateral strain created by the curling mechanism while pressing upon I and curling the rim of the hat. There is also the constant danger of the operators neglecting to adjust the device, so as to secure an adequate degree ofpressure upon the inside of the hat. In practice the slightest deviation from the accurate alignment of the hat upon the browblook and table during the operation of curling its brim is sufficient to distort its shape and de' stroy its marketable value, since the longitudinal axis or greatest diameter of thebrim will not then occupy the same plane as that of the crown, and the distortion and irregularity will be readily perceived. It will thus be obvious that a device that will positively and invaria bly secure and insure the proper position and alignment of the hat upon and with relation to the curling table or plate under all circumstances is a desideratum. This I accomplish by my invention, which consists, essentially, in an expansible brow-block formed with one or more radially-projecting pins, which,when the hat has been placed in position upon the curling-table or base-pl ate and over the browblock, engage with and penetrate the side crown of the hat as the brow-block is expanded, and thereby effectually prevent any movement whatsoever of the hat upon the curlingtable or brow-block until the latter is again retracted and the pin or pins thereby withdrawn.

For the purpose of illustration only, in the accompanying drawings I show my invention as applied to a hat-curling machine of ordinary construction, in which the brow-block is made to revolve during the operation of curling the hat-brim, and thereby present the said brim continuously to curling mechanism arranged in prescribed positions in the machine; but my invention may be employed with equal facility and advantage in machines in which the brow-block or other hat clamping and supporting device remains stationary, while suitable curling mechanism is caused to traverse in the proper course around it, the lateral strain upon the hat created by the curl 'ing mechanism being substantially the same in either form of apparatus.

In the drawings, Figure -1 is a side elevation of the main parts of a hatscurling machine to which my invention has been applied; Fi 2, a plan of the revolving hat-plate and expansible brow-block, showing the latter retracted,

and a horizontal section of the hat-body in position upon the revolving tableand ready to be secured thereto by the expansion of the brow-block; Fig. 3, a plan of the parts of the machine shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, an ele vation of the revolving hat-plate and browblock with a hat-body in position, and shown in section on plane of line 00 ac, Fig. 3,

' In the hat-curling machine A (shown in the drawings) the curling mechanism a a is mounted upon suitable slides and reciprocated by central cam-surfaces in the usual manner. The curling mechanism a a may be of any suitable or well-known construction, that shown consisting of the smoothing-irons aa and the heels or openers a a both said parts acting in conjunction to fold and compress the edge .of the hat-brim, and impart to it the required curl.

The revolving plate or curling-table B is formed with the oval hat-rest b, and with an expansible brow-block, O. This expansible brow-block 0 may be of any desired or wellknown construction, that shown in the drawings consisting of segmental pieces a c c, sliding in suitable radial ways or grooves, and having their inner ends held against a central vertically adjustable cone, (1, by an elastic band, 6, so that they may be simultaneously advanced or retracted by the elevation or depression of the cone cl, which is accomplished through the medium of a hand-nut, d, engaging with the vertical screw-standard d upon the'upper end of which the cone d is mounted. Preferably two opposed segments of the expansible brow-block O are formed with radially-projecting pins 19 p, which extend outward a suificient distance to penetrate the thickness of the side crown of a hat; as indicated in Fig. 4. In the form of expansible brow-block shown the elastic band e performs the double function of a retractile spring and of a bearing or contact surface for the inner side crown of the hat. In such case the pins p p are preferably secured to the proper segments 0 c, and project through the body of the elastic band, which is made of india-rubber, extending beyond its outer surface the requisite distance to enable them to engage with and penetrate the side crown of the hat. In fact, it is immaterial what form of expansible brow-block isused, since the essential feature of my invention consists in an expansible browblock formed with one or more rigid pins or points, which project radially, and are adapted to engagewith and enter the side crown of a hat when the latter is placed in position and the brow-block is expanded.

The operation is as follows: Thebrow-block O is contracted in the usual manner, (in the machine shown in the drawings by lowering the conical wedge d by means of the hand-nut d,) and the hat to be operated upon is passed over it in such position that the brim rests upon the upper surface of the rest I). The proper alignment of the hat is then accurately attained by bringing the mark upon its brim corresponding to its greatest diameter, 'and which it has acquired in apre by elevating the conical wedge d by meansof the hand-nut d,) causing the fixed pins 1) to advance to and penetrate the side crown of the hat. Thus positively secured to the browblock, thehat-body cannot be moved or twistedin any direction, and the constant tend ency of the curling mechanism to twist and derange thehat during the operation of curling its brim is effectually and invariably counteracted. The perforations in the hatbody'made by the pins p, being comparatively small and occurring near the junction of the side crown with the brim, are covered and concealed by the hat-band when the hat is trimmed.

I am aware of the United 'States Letters Patent granted to Charles H. Reid, No. 237,128, andI do not claim anything shown therein. Said patent shows an expansible brow-block for holding hat bodies, while the edges of the brims are being trimmed; and I am also aware that said patent shows a pin upon the expansible brow-block, which pin penetrates the material of the hat-body, serving as a marker, or, as the Reid patent says, a gage-point, and I am also well aware that'such pin upon such devices incidentally assists in holding the hat upon the expansible block; but the operation of trimmingthe brim of a hat-body is one that is accompanied by such a slight torsional strain that the mere ex pansion of the brow-block would be sufficient 1 pins, can be used in a hat-curling machine in connection with an expansible brow-block, and that the said pin or pins in this combination will serve to make certain that which the -mere expansion of the block could not do,

and that is to hold the hat firmly during the strain incident to the curling of the brim. 1

My invention is limited to the combination of the curling mechanism orImechanisms, which could be used in machines where such aheavy strain was exerted upon the hat as is the case with brim-curling devices without tearing a In a hat-curling machine, the combination,

with suitable hat-brim-curling mechanism, of I 5 an expansible brow-block formed with one or more radial pins or projections adapted to en.- gage with and penetrate the side crown of a hat-body when the said block is expanded, for the purpose described.

EDMUND TWEEDY.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY L. BREVOORT, JOSEPH L. LEVY. 

